In cases of great enterprise upon charge and adventure, a composition of glorious natures, doth put life into business; and those that are of solid and sober natures, have more of the ballast, than of the sail. In fame of learning, the flight will be slow without some feathers of osten- tation. Qui de contemnenda gloria libros scri- bunt, nomen, suum inscribunt. Socrates, Aristotle, Galen, were men full of ostentation. Certainly vain-glory helpeth to perpetuate a man's memory; and virtue was never so beholding to human na- ture, as it received his due at the second hand. Neither had the fame of Cicero, Seneca, Plinius Secundus, borne her age so well, if it had not been joined with some vanity in themselves; like unto varnish, that makes ceilings not only shine but last. But all this while, when I speak of vain-glory, I mean not of that property, that Tacitus doth at- tribute to Mucianus; Omnium quae dixerat fece- ratque arte quadam ostentator: for that proceeds not of vanity, but of natural magnanimity and discretion; and in some persons, is not only comely, but gracious. For excusations, cessions, modesty itself well governed, are but arts of ostentation. And amongst those arts, there is none better than that which Plinius Secundus speaketh of, which is to be liberal of praise and commendation to others, in that, wherein a man's self hath any perfection. For saith Pliny, very wittily, In commending another, you do yourself right; for he that you commend, is either superior to you in that you commend, or inferior. If he be inferior, if he be to be commended, you much more; if he be superior, if he be not to be commended, you much less. Glorious men are the scorn of wise men, the ad- miration of fools, the idols of parasites, and the slaves of their own vaunts.
Of Honor AND REPUTATION
THE winning of honor, is but the revealing of a man,s virtue and worth, without disadvan- tage. For some in their actions, do woo and effect honor and reputation, which sort of men, are commonly much talked of, but inwardly little admired. And some, contrariwise, darken their virtue in the show of it; so as they be undervalued in opinion. If a man perform that, which hath not been attempted before; or attempted and given over; or hath been achieved, but not with so good circumstance; he shall purchase more honor, than by effecting a matter of greater difficulty or virtue, wherein he is but a follower. If a man so temper his actions, as in some one of them he doth content every faction, or combination of people, the music will be the fuller. A man is an ill husband of bis honor, that entereth into any action, the failing wherein may disgrace him, more than the carry- ing of it through, can honor him. Honor that is gained and broken upon another, hath the quick- est reflection, like diamonds cut with facets. And therefore, let a man contend to excel any competi- tors of his in honor, in outshooting them, if he can, in their own bow. Discreet followers and servants, help much to reputation. Omnis fama a domesticis emanat. Envy, which is the canker of honor, is best extinguished by declaring a man's self in his ends, rather to seek merit than fame; and by attributing a man's successes, rather to divine Providence and felicity, than to his own virtue or policy.
The true marshalling of the degrees of sovereign honor, are these: In the first place are conditores imperiorum, founders of states and common- wealths; such as were Romulus, Cyrus, Caesar, Ottoman, Ismael. In the second place are legis- latores, lawgivers; which are also called second founders, or perpetui principes, because they gov- ern by their ordinances after they are gone; such were Lycurgus, Solon, Justinian, Eadgar, Alphon- sus of Castile, the Wise, that made the Siete Parti- das. In the third place are liberatores, or salvatores, such as compound the long miseries of civil wars, or deliver their countries from servitude of strangers or tyrants; as Augustus Caesar, Vespasi- anus, Aurelianus, Theodoricus, King Henry the Seventh of England, King Henry the Fourth of France.